GREENWOOD, Ind. - Several Great Midwest Athletic Conference teams have migrated their way to warmer weather to coronate Opening Day this weekend around the softball schedule this spring. 

A new season is blossoming for G-MAC Preseason Coaches Poll No. 1 and No. 2 Trevecca Nazarene and Kentucky Wesleyan. The Trojans and Panthers will look to make their presence felt in tournament action while competing in Huntsville, Ala., as one of 18 teams at the Alabama-Huntsville-hosted Charger Chillout.

Each game played from Friday, Feb. 6, to Sunday, Feb. 8, will be highlighted below with the box score. The G-MAC Week in Review will still focus on results from men's and women's basketball and men's and women's indoor track and field.

Season Stats | Composite Schedule


Friday, Feb. 6

Trevecca Nazarene (1-0) def. No. 5 Wayne State, 1-0 (8 innings)
Box Score

A Kelsey Kemp walk-off fielder's choice RBI in the bottom of the eighth inning lifted the Trojans to an eye-opening upset to begin the spring and the Charger Chillout hosted by Alabama-Huntsville. Kemp's game-winning heroics backed a dominant outing by TNU ace Haley Fagan, who handcuffed the Warriors with a two-hit shutout over eight masterful innings. Fagan fanned four and issued a pair of walks while besting reigning GLIAC Pitcher of the Year Lyndsay Butler, who struck out nine, in the pitcher's duel. Due to the international tiebreaker rule, Ansley Brantley was placed on second and crossed the plate with the decisive run. 


Southern Arkansas def. Trevecca Nazarene (1-1), 8-7 (9 innings)
Box Score

The Trojans forced the Muleriders deep into extra innings in their second game of the Charger Chillout, but came up just short. Ansley Brantley tripled as part of a 4-for-5 effort with two runs scored and an RBI while Mackenzie Leding also had a multi-hit game. TNU had three defensive miscues, resulting four unearned runs against the respective lines of Lindsey Stephens and Kelsey Kemp, who each tossed four innings. SAU plated two runs in the top of the eighth inning to finalize the score.


Kentucky Wesleyan (1-0) def. Montevallo, 6-5 (11 innings)
Box Score

Extra innings seemed to be the prevalent theme on G-MAC Opening Day as the Panthers went above and beyond regulation to snare their first win of the spring, outlasting Montevallo at the Charger Chillout.  Shortstop Mackenzie Weedman homered as part of a 4-for-5 debut at the dish with 4 RBI. The Panthers clawed their way back from a 3-0 deficit in the sixth inning and answered Montevallo runs in the 10th and 11th innings, eventually plating the game-winner with a two-out walk-off RBI single by Courtney Lockwood. 


Kentucky Wesleyan (2-0) def. Miles, 2-1
Box Score

KWC starting pitcher Casey Smith silenced the bats of the Golden Bears as Kentucky Wesleyan completed a perfect Friday in Huntsville. Smith allowed just three hits in the complete-game effort and the only run against her line was unearned. She drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning to snap a 1-1 tie and retired the side in order in the top of the seventh to finish the game.


Saturday, Feb. 7

Trevecca Nazarene (2-1) def. Miles, 8-0 (5 innings)
Box Score

The Trojans made quick work of Miles on day two of the Charger Chillout, as senior Kelsey Kemp had a brilliant afternoon backing her own cause in the pitching circle. Kemp allowed just one hit over four scoreless innings to pick up the winning decision and was 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI at the plate. Leadoff hitter Ansley Brantley continued her torrid start to the spring with two more hits including a double and is now 7-for-12 (.583) through three games. TNU scored a combined seven runs in the final two innings.


West Georgia def. Trevecca Nazarene (2-2), 7-1
Box Score

The Trojans were unable able to capitalize on a first-inning lead against the Wolves and moved to even .500 on the season at the Charger Chillout in Alabama. An ideal top of the first inning started with an Ansley Brantley triple, her second already this season, and she came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Lindsey Stephens. UWG was able to claim the lead with a two-run third frame and put the final out of reach with two more runs in the fifth and three in the sixth. Danielle Easterly was the winning pitcher, outdueling TNU's standout Haley Fagan, who was coming off eight shutout innings in her season debut vs. No. 5 Wayne State.


Delta State def. Kentucky Wesleyan (2-1), 4-1
Box Score

Junior infielder Kori Watterson drove in all four runs for the streaking Lady Statesmen, who improved to 6-0 on the spring while the Panthers suffered their first defeat. Kentucky Wesleyan manufactured one run on five hits, including a temporary go-ahead run in the third on an RBI single by Ashley Crooke. Watterson delivered separate two-run singles in the fourth and sixth innings as Katie Justice picked up the win in the circle. KWC deployed Jessica Carmon and Casey Smith; Carmon tossed five strong innings, but was saddled with the loss in the effort.

 
Kentucky Wesleyan (3-1) def. Maryville, 2-0
Box Score

Sophomore Casey Smith delivered a no-hitter as the Panthers blanked Maryville for their third win in Alabama. Smith stymied the Saints in seven innings and was just two walks away from perfection. She also struck out a pair and helped her own cause with a two-run single in the fourth inning -- the only runs of the game. 


Sunday, Feb. 8

No. 5 Wayne State def. Kentucky Wesleyan (3-2), 3-1
Box Score

The Panthers fell just short against the fifth-ranked team in the country despite a strong outing from Josalyn Ress. Ress only gave up one earned run over the full innings. Wayne State did all the scoring in the top of the third inning before KWC could counter with a run in the fourth inning. Kaci Ovelgoener was 2-for-3 with a double and Mackenzie Weedman recorded the Panthers' RBI.


Kentucky Wesleyan (4-2) def. Saint Joseph's (Ind.), 10-3
Box Score

The offense found its stride as Casey Smith collected her third winning decision on the weekend. KWC mashed out 14 hits, including a home run by No. 9 hitter Samantha Marksbury, while Kaci Ovelgoener drove in three runs, scored twice and went 2-for-4. Leadoff hitter Jaclyn Parker had three hits setting the table. Smith went four innings before being picked up in relief by Jessica Carmon, who finished out the final three frames.